Hydraulic dredge.



PATENTBD APR. 7, 190s..

- J. W. RENO. HYDRAULIC DRBDGB.

` vAYPLIOATION FILED JAN. 2. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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PATENTED APR. 7, 1903.

J. W. RENO. HYDRAULIC DREDGE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1903.

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H0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica JESSE w. RENO, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

HYDRAULIC DREDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 724,501, dated April 7,'1903.

Application filed January 2, 1903. Serial N0..137,404. (No model.)

To all wiz/om it may concern;

Be it known that I, J ESSE W. RENO, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, anda resident of the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Dredges,ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hydraulic dredges, and moreparticularly to that class of dredges where a pump and suction-pipe areemployed to convey loose material from the beds of navigable Waters*such as harbors, rivers, and canals-to suitable receptacles. v

The object of my invention is to provide a dredge of this class whichshall be simple and eective in its construction and operation, one thatwill permit considerable motion of the vessel on which the dredge iscarriedv without causing injury thereto, .and also to provide improvedmeans for the drag or scraper at the lower end of the suction-pipe.

My invention consists in providing a suitable vessel of any kind adaptedfor the purpose with a pump, preferably a rotary pump of large capacity,in connecting to the suction end of the pump a pipe which shall ex'-tend to a point outside of the vessel, and' in connecting to this pipeby means of a universal-joint connection another pipe of sufficientlength to reach in an inclined direction to the bottom to be dredged.

My invention consists, further, in providing an improved drag or scraperfor the lower end'of the inclined pipe, which will be fully hereinafterexplained.

In carrying out my invention I employ the Well-known principles ofcarrying the excavated material from the point where the dredging propertakes place to the place of delivery by means of a stream of water.

My apparatus may be installed on any ves,- sel which is provided withsuitable means for propulsion and power to operate a pump. The pump maybe of any improved pattern. I prefer to have some form of rotary pumpwhich is designed for a large capacity and a comparatively small head.vTo the suction end of the pipe is connected a suction-pipe which leadsto the exterior of the vessel. The outer end of the suction-pipe isconnected with a hollow spherical bracket. Extendin the center.

ing from this bracket downward in an in'- clined direction is a movablesuction-pipe' which has formed upon or secured to its upper end aspherical enlargement adapted to iit within the, spherical bracket insuch a way as to permit the movable pipe to move in all directions aboutthe spherical bracket To the lower end of the movable pipe is secured ahollow box-shaped drag provided with adjustable blades or Scrapers andprovided with openings for the ingress of water just abovethe Scrapers,so that as the material is loosened and forced up upon the blades it isimmediately brought in contact with a current of water.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,Figure l is apartial plan view of a boat equipped with my improveddredging apparatus. Fig. 2- is a section on line a a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is aplan view of the lower end of the movable pipe and the drag orscraper to which it is connected. Fig: 4 is a section on line b b ofFig'. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are plan and rear views, respectively, of thescraper-blades.

The reference characters are used in the cured to the upper end of whichis the spherical enlargement 6, adapted to t within the sphericalbracket 3. This construction, it will be seen, is a kind ofuniversal-joint connection, which permits the movable pipe 5 to move toa limited extent in any direction about the center of the bracket 3.Secured to the lower end of the movable pipe 5 is a drag-case 7, whichhas the general shape of a rectangular box provided with a boss Storeceive the end of the pipe 5, the lower side being open.

9 represents the cutter-blades of the drag, which are preferably made inone casting having the outside flanges 10 and the intermediate ribs, thepurpose of the intermediate ribs being not only to strengthen theblades, but to prevent the entrance of pieces of too great size. Formedintegrally with the scraper-blades 9 is a curved back 11, which is madeto vtit loosely inside of the back 12 of the box 7, the scraper-bladesbeing pivoted to the box 7 by means of a shaft 13.

14 represents apertures or openings in the back 11, arranged just abovethe blades 9.

15 represents a bolt secured to theback 11 and provided with ascrew-thread, by means of which the position of the scraper-blades isadjusted.

16 represents an eye on the box or case 7 for the purpose of attaching acable with which to raise and lower the drag.

17 represents a connecting-rod employed where two or more drags are usedfor the purpose of keeping them a fixed distance apart.

18 represents a shoe secured to the lower front side of the drag and thepipe 5, the purpose of which is to strengthen the connection between thepipe and the drag and also to form a shoe which shall readily ride overobstacles, such as sunken driftwood and the like.

19 represents delivery-pipes leading from the pump to any suitablereceptacles, which may be either on the same boat as the dredge or onscows or auxiliary boats. v It will be obvious that by means of myuniversal-joint connection between the movable and fixed suction-pipes`the connection between these two pipes will be relieved of all unduestrain due to the motion of the boat, and it will be seen that as thematerial is loosened and scraped up by the blades 9 it is directlybrought in contact with a current of water coming in through theopenings 14, whence it willbe carried up through the pipes 5 and 2 anddelivered tothe pipesli). Itis also obvious that the inclination of themovable pipe will vary according to the depth of water above the bottomto be dredged. The pivotal connection between the scraper-blades and thedrag-case 7 makes it possible to adjust the angle of the cutter-bladesas may be desired for varying depths. Another advantage. of thisconstruction of the cutter-blades is that when Worn out or damaged theymay be easily replaced.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. `In a dredge,the combination with a vessel, of a pump upon said vessel, asuction-pipe connected to said pump, a movable pipe exterior to saidvessel adapted to lead downward in an inclined direction, and auniversaljoint connection connecting said movable pipe with saidsuction-pipe.

2. In a dredge, the combination with a pump, a suction-pipe connected tosaid'pump, a hollow spherical bracket secu red to the end of saidsuction-pipe, and a movable pipe having a hollow spherical end adaptedto fit within said spherical bracket.

3. In a hydraulic dredge, the combination with a movable suction-pipe,of a drag secured to its lower end, said drag having a plurality ofscraper-blades secured to longitudinal webs in pivotal connection withsaid drag, and means for adjusting said scraperblades relative to saiddrag.

4. In a dredge, the combination with a movable suction-pipe, of abox-shaped case secured to the lower end of said pipe, andscraper-blades in pivotal connection with said box-shaped case. l

5. In a dredge, the combination with a movable suction-pipe, of abox-shaped case secured to the lower end of -said suction-pipe, havingits lower side open,transverse Scrapers located in the lower open sideof said box, and openings at the rear of said blades for the ingress ofwater, substantially in line with the tops of said blades.

6. In a dredge, the combination with a pump' and a stationarysuction-pipe, of an external movable suction pipe, a universal jointconnecting'said movable and said fixed suction pipes, and a dragprovided with 95 scraper-blades attached to the lower end of saidmovable pipe. y

7. In a dredge, the combination witha movable suction pipe, of a hollowbox-shaped case secured to the lower end of said snction- 10o pipe, saidcase having pivoted at its front lower side a series of scraper-blades,longitudinal webs to strengthen said scraper-blades, and an extendedtransverse web at the rear of said scraper-blades having apertu resthere- 1o 5 in for the ingress of water.

8. In a dredge, the combination with a movable suctionpipe,of a hollowcase secured to the lower end of said suction-pipe, scraperbladessecured together by longitudinal webs 1 1o in pivotal connection withthe front lower portion of said case, a curved back for said caseconcentric with said pivotal connection,

a curved extension extending upward from the rear scraper-blade, andapertures for the 1r 5 ingress of water in said curved extension.

9. In adredge, the combination with a movable suction-pipe, of a casesecured to the lower end ofy said suction-pipe, having its lower sideopen, a scraper-blade mounted on 12o a pivotal connection in the loweropen side of said case, and means for adjusting said scraper-blade.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

. JESSE W. RENO.

Witnesses:

HARRY S. BANDLER, ELLA TUcH.

